ABSTRACT
In August 2010, the Defense Health Board’s Congressionally-mandated Task Force on the Prevention of Suicide by Members of the Armed Forces (hereafter referred to as the Task Force) completed its year-long independent review of suicide prevention programs in the Department of Defense (DoD, 2010). Overall, the Task Force “commend[ed] the Armed Forces for the suicide prevention initiatives it has undertaken” and emphasized that “no other employer … has focused as much attention and resources on suicide prevention.” Recommendations provided by the Task Force related to four strategic initiatives: (1) Organization and Leadership; (2) Wellness Enhancement and Training; (3) Access to, and Delivery of, Quality Care; and (4) Surveillance, Investigations, and Research. This chapter presents a historical review of DoD suicide prevention efforts targeted at the Armed Forces over the past decade. Emphasis is placed on Service specific as well as interagency collaborations in the areas of surveillance, programmatic initiatives, and research. While coverage of each of the four strategic initiatives put forth by the Task Force is beyond the scope of this chapter, the reader is provided with a foundation of knowledge for better understanding them.
